All posts in what to do this weekend

Despite the old school rap blaring as you enter Stuart Theatre and the traditional set with which you are greeted onstage, a drab government building overladen with mahogany and filing cabinets, Sock and Buskin’s new play Hype Hero is, above all, about modernity. It is simultaneously futuristic, current and archaic. It is a hyper-real representation of America, circa 2014.

Hype Hero, written by Dominic Taylor MFA ’95 (in typical open curriculum fashion, he also received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Brown) and directed by Kym Moore, is described by the playwright as “an afro-futurist Comedy of the Absurd.”

And absurd it definitely is. Everything is slightly off–the phone ringing sound effect is eerily hollow, soldiers burst on and off the stage, and the entirety of the first act takes place outside the Mayor’s (Crystal Kim ’16) office. The Mayor is a bumbling bureaucrat, a dictatorial, paranoid and ineffective leader in a dress wrought with sequins and ruffles. Kim’s portrayal is spot-on, channeling Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games and every political leader since Abraham Lincoln.

But the show is not Kim’s. It’s Sarah’s, Kim’s “administrative assistant,” played with equal reserve and ferocity by Jordan DeLoach ’15. Her role as Sarah is complex, requiring her to navigate both cultural and personal allegiances while remaining in her office chair almost the entire show. DeLoach is both the most active and inactive member of the cast, symbolically as much as literally. Her facial expressions, physicality and vocal shifts (at times performing “propriety,” especially when talking to The Mayor, at others employing use of vernacular, depending on her audience) are integral to her construction of Sarah.

Originality in a theatrical production comes in many forms– content, structure, unique casting and acting choices, a novel use of space, an unexpected twist on a familiar trope, etc.

Waxwing, written and directed by Evan Silver ’16, is a simultaneously familiar and original piece of work. The story is immensely simple: two parallel love stories that eventually converge, one ending happily, another, not so much. An elementary plot comes as no surprise; after all, the show runs only 45 minutes long, hardly enough time for plot intricacies and complex character development.

However, Silver’s originality lies in the presentation, in the characters he’s constructed to tell these stories, and in an effective use of space and music to tease out tension from even a tired, old love story.

First off, I’ll address space. Silver, who triples as set designer, transformed the room into a runway, utilizing the tennis-court-arrangement of the space to evoke a love story that verges at times on a duel. It is an inventive use of the Upspace, and one not commonly seen.

From the moment the lights, subtly designed by Jordana Rosenfeld ’17, dim, you’re thrown directly into Silver’s world. This universe is one in which a bird and a boy not only converse, but also have sexual tension, and the sea and the sun are personified as starcrossed (see what I did there) ex-lovers with a juicy history.

It doesn’t look like you’re on Fleet Street when you enter Leeds Theater for Sock and Buskin’s production of Sweeney Todd. It looks more like Wall Street during the Occupy movement.

Cast members are kicked out of chairs by policemen as the show begins, and soon we see that the show’s villains are the beneficiaries of the income gap, while its heroes (if you can call them that), reside significantly lower on the income bracket.

In the production, director Curt Columbus, the Artistic Director of Trinity Theater down the hill (so he’s kind of a big deal), breaths new life into the old Tim Burton Sondheim tale of a man (Sweeney) returning to London to exact revenge on the judge who sentenced him to life imprisonment on false charges. You all know the meat pie part.

The set evokes a city on the brink: cardboard signs — one reads, “WHY?” and another reads “MRS. LOVETT’S PIE SHOP” — graffiti, and an enormous ad for McDonald’s that looks like it was reimagined for a horror movie.

Need something to do Saturday night? Chances are this won’t solve that problem–but, just in case, we’re obliged to tell you that everyone’s second or third favorite Jersey Shore cast member will be dropping mad beats at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island this Saturday, November 23.

Yes, that’s right, people. DJ Pauly D (a.k.a. Paul DelVecchio a.k.a. someone you forgot existed) will be returning to his home state to play all his music that we definitely know.

Tickets are actually selling fast because, bizarrely, the 33-year-old Providence native has accumulated a fervent and adoring Rhode Island fanbase. In 2010, his mere visit to a friend at University of Rhode Island incited a riot resulting in an official URI rule: Pauly D can no longer come on campus unannounced. The GTL guru is acutely aware of his adoring fans in Rhode Island, having humbly tweeted after the event, “See what happens when I’m in town for 1 day Lmaooo.”

Are you interested in business? Do you yearn to follow dozens of other college students in their quests to create startups? If so, be sure to check out Startup Weekend Providence. Startup Weekend Providence is excited to invite students of Brown University to join us for a fun, inspiring, entrepreneurial weekend beginning Friday, October 18.

Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where designers, marketers, product managers, developers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch businesses. Come join us to validate your idea, perfect your business model, practice your pitch, and collaborate with smart, talented people. The weekend culminates with team presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders for feedback and prizes. Special deals are offered to Brown University students.

Startup Weekend has had over 400 different events in 100 countries since its founding in 2011. Tickets for students are only $50 for the whole weekend. You’ll get access to young professionals, leading business owners, and other like-minded and driven individuals. Get in on the action this weekend by registering here.

Columbus Fall Weekend is upon us. While many flee our beloved “creative capital” for brighter city lights or the comfort of a home-cooked meal, those who are staying on campus can indulge in many seasonal activities and other cool happenings in Providence. BlogDH has conveniently listed a few things to knock off your fall to-do list.

Boiler House Yoga Student Art Show and One Year Anniversary CelebrationWhere: Boiler House Yoga (166 Valley Street, Providence)
When: All weekend
What: Boiler House Yoga is hosting a weekend of free and reduced rate classes! This is the perfect pre-Halloween detox.